Children’s Outpatients at St Cross continues to expand

9 June 2017

The Children’s Outpatient Unit at the Hospital of St Cross in Rugby is set to be transformed thanks to a major funding commitment from the Friends of St Cross and the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Charity.

The unit moved to its current location in a standalone building on the hospital site in 2015. The number of children who have been able to have their appointments closer to home in Rugby, rather than needing to travel to Coventry, has increased as a result.

Now the team want to improve it further and have ambitious plans to revamp the unit both internally and externally and to make its young patients feel more comfortable before and during their appointments.

Improvements will include:

a secure buggy park outside the unit where mums and dads can safely leave their buggies while bringing their babies and toddlers for appointments

a new changing area for infants and children with complex needs

a breastfeeding room

an outside play area for older children

redecoration of the unit to make it more attractive for young patients

The Friends of St Cross has committed to raise at least £23,000 for this project, and the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Charity is also contributing to the refurbishment.

Sue Ellis, Lead Nurse for Paediatrics at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust, which manages the hospital, said:“We’re so grateful to the Friends of St Cross and University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Charity for their commitment to this project.

“While we have seen massive improvements to the Children’s Outpatients service since we moved to the standalone building, we want to do more to improve the experience for our young patients.

“The new buggy park will free up space in the waiting area, while the outside play area will allow older children to work off some of their energy!"

Willy Goldschmidt, Chairman of the Friends of St Cross, said:“We have been delighted to support the Children’s Outpatient service with small pieces of equipment which have made a difference on its journey from two clinic rooms at the end of Rowan Ward to its new child-friendly location after a short spell in the old Hawthorn ward.

“We have no doubt that the people of Rugby will be pleased to know that this project will bring the services available in Rugby onto a par with those offered at Coventry.”

It is hoped that the project will be completed in the autumn – updates will be published on the Friends of St Cross website and Facebook page.

Parents’ groups who are interested in supporting this project are invited to contact the Friends by email atcommunications@fsx.org.uk

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